Wayne State University

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Wayne State University

Public Relations

Media Report

July 9, 2012

College of Education Dean Carolyn Shields comments about year-round education in Des Moines Register article

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20120709/NEWS02/307090051/0/NEWS01/?odyssey=nav%7Chead

An article examining Iowa schools that shifted to a continuous, year-round education model notes that the percentage of children at three of the schools who were proficient readers in 2010-11 was higher than the Des Moines Public Schools average which may signal that this is good for some students. However, a continuous calendar is not necessary for all children, said Carolyn Shields, dean of the College of Education at Wayne State University. On the other hand, Shields — who has spent the better part of two decades studying year-round education in the U.S. and abroad — is convinced many American students are struggling, in part, because they lack access to 12-month academic supports. “In my mind, this is a socially just way to think about education,” she said. “If people take community needs into consideration, it’s something that can really make sense.”

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